Non-cylindrical container body maker

ABSTRACT

A container body maker including means for forming a completed cylindrical container body and a means for reshaping the cylindrical container body. The reshaping means includes angularly spaced posts arranged to support the cylindrical container and bending means disposed between the posts. The bending means serve to depress the portions of the cylindrical body spanning the posts to reshape the body.

United States Patent [191 Frankenberg 51 June5, 1973 [54] NON-CYLINDRICAL CONTAINER BODY MAKER [75] Inventor: Henry E. Frankenberg, Hindsdale,

Ill.

[73] Assignee: Continental Can Company, Inc.,

New York, N.Y.

[22] Filed: Feb. 12, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 114,930

[52] US. Cl. ..93/82, 72/370, 93/83, 113/120 M [51] Int. Cl. ..B3lb 1/38 [58] Field of Search ..1 13/120 M, 120 W; 93/82, 83; 72/370 [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Powell et al ..113/120 1,308,945 7/1919 Gail ..113/120 Primary Examiner-Lowell A. Larson AttorneyFred P. Kostka, Joseph E. Kerwin and William A. Dittmann [57] ABSTRACT A container body maker including means for forming a completed cylindrical container body and a means for reshaping the cylindrical container body. The reshaping means includes angularly spaced posts arranged to support the cylindrical container and bending means disposed between the posts. The bending means serve to depress the portions of the cylindrical body spanning the posts to reshape the body.

8 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENTEDJUN 5 I973 SHEET 1 OF 3 -b ll? WW mw v Wm WK N M m h m: F E m r J Lm H mm H ATT'Y.

PATENTEDJUN 5191s 3.736.846

sum 2 or 3 INVENTOR HENRY E. FRANKENBERG ATT'Y.

PATENTEDJUH 5|975 3,736,846 SHEET 30F 3 INVENTOR HENRYE. FRANKENBERG BY a W NON-CYLINDRICAL CONTAINER BODY MAKER BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to manufacture of containers and more particularly to a method and apparatus for fabricating blanks of flexible sheet material into tubular can bodies.

Heretofore, it has been common practice to manufacture can bodies on body makers wherein successive blanks of material are shaped into a can body about a mandrel. Generally, the blanks have been formed into a cylindrical tubular shape. One such type of can body making machine is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 3,338,142. This patent discloses a machine forming the can body into a cylindrical shape. The machine is capable of achieving a relative high production rate so that the can bodies are economical to manufacture.

These prior body making machines, as exemplified by the above identified patent, have been limited to making can bodies of cylindrical shape only. While such cylindrical can bodies are widely used, can bodies of different cross-section contour may also be desirable.

However, such non-cylindrical bodies have not been widely used for the reasons that the past manufacturing procedures resulted in a relatively low production rate. This, of course, increased the unit cost over the cost of the cylindrical can body.

Generally, when non-cylindrical can bodies are directly shaped on a body maker, the procedure is relatively complex and slow. Alternatively, the can bodies have first been made circular on a body maker and then removed to a separate apparatus for reshaping. It is, of course, obvious that transporting the cylindrical can body to another location for a reforming operation increases the production cost.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION By the present invention, it is proposed to provide an improved method and apparatus for forming container of non-circular cross-section wherein the container body is made from a blank which is initially formed into a cylindrical can body and thereafter reshaped by means which does not necessitate the removal to a separate apparatus.

This is accomplished generally by utilizing a can body making apparatus typified by the US. Pat. No. 3,338,142 to initially form a cylindrical can body and incorporating therein a means for reforming the cylindrical can body into a non-cylindrical body. The procedure and apparatus does not materially reduce the production rate and accordingly maintains the unit cost of non-cylindrical can bodies at at a minimum.

More specifically, a blank of material is formed into a cylindrical container body on a body maker in the same manner as heretofore. The cylindrical container is transferred to a reforming station for reshaping into a non-cylindrical body. This is accomplished briefly by angularly spaced fixed support members on which a preformed cylindrical can body is transferred. A plurality of folding members are angularly disposed relatively to each other and between the plurality of the supporting posts. The folding members are arranged to flex the cylindrical container body sufficiently inwardly beyond a plane extending between adjacent one of the support members to bend the body about the supports in a noncircular shape.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a front elevational view of a body making machine embodying the rectangular can body forming means of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an elevational view of a cylindrical can body formed on the machine of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is an elevational view of the cylindrical container body of FIG. 2 reshaped to a rectangular container;

FIG. 4 is an end view of the rectangular container body shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the rectangular reforming section of the body making machine shown in FIG. 1 with some of the parts broken away to show underlying details of structure;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the lines 6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the lines 77 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 8 is a front elevational view of another embodiment of the apparatus for reforming the cylindrical can body a rectangular can body;

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view taken generally along the lines 9-9 of FIG. 8; and

FIG. 10 is a prespective view of the embodiment of the apparatus shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring now to FIGS. 2 through 4, the method and apparatus of the present invention are illustrated in connection with the forming of open ended tubular members C which are suitable for use as can bodies. The can bodies C are made from the blanks B of paper board which are fed successively and shaped initially into tubular form of substantially circular cross-section and include a longitudinal seam in the form of a lap seam L. The lap seam L is heat sealed or otherwise secured as by an adhesive. Thereafter, the cylindrical container body C is reshaped into a tubular container R of substantially rectangular cross-section as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4.

The blanks B are made preferably from sheets of relatively thin flexible paper board. The blanks B are coated on both sides with a film forming material which is heat scalable as for example, polyethylene. The edges of the blanks B may also be coated to prevent wicking. The tubular section when complete is designed to be subsequently formed into a can body capable of receiving suitable end closures, not shown. It is to be understood that while the invention is shown applied to can bodies made from paper board, it is also applicable to the formation of tubular body members made from relatively thin flexible sheets such as tin plate, aluminum, composite metal, foil and other materials to which there may be imparted a permanent set at normal room temperature.

Briefly, a body maker 10 as shown, in FIG. 1 comprising a frame 11 supports the mechanism for operating on the blanks to form the tubes or can bodies. The frame 11 also provides a convenient housing and support for portions of the drive mechanisms.

The blanks B are supplied in a stack feeding station 12 and are advanced by a conveyor 13 through a preliminary shaping mechanism 14 and past a glue applying device 16. The glue applying device 16 applies glue or other suitable adhesive to the outer marginal edge portions of the blanks.

The blanks B are transported from the glue applying device 16 by a conveyor 19 to a generally horizontally disposed forming horn or mandrel 18. The mandrel l8 is elongate and extends in the longitudinal direction of the machine and axially aligned with the conveyor 19. An'over head endless conveyor 20 is mounted above the mandrel 18 with lower run extending longitudinally of the machine immediately above the mandrel 18. The conveyor 20 carries longitudinally spaced pairs of forming blocks 21 which shapes the blanks to conform to the top surface of the horn and thereby partially form the bodies. Each of the forming blocks 21 has an associated pusher means (not shown) for engaging the trailing edges of the blanks to push the latter along the mandrel 19.

The blanks B are moved along the horn 18 and heated at a heating mechanism 22 at which time the adhesive on the side margins is activated. The partially formed bodies with the now activated adhesive are fed along the horn 18 to a sealing mechanism wherein the adhesive coated edges are brought into overlapping engagement and pressed together to form the side seam L.

The completely formed tubes C of substantially circular cross-section are each stripped from the horn l8 and advanced in a continuous operation to a reforming or reshaping device 30 located at the end of the apparatus.

The reforming device 30 as shown in FIG. 5 through 7 comprises a plurality of supporting posts 31 extending from the end of the born 18. The support posts31 are equispaced in a substantially rectangular arrangement to support and engage the inner surface of the cylindrical can body C along longitudinally and angularly spaced lines as shown in FIG. 6. Angularly disposed about and intermediate adjacent pairs of the posts 31 is a plurality of reforming or fold means in the form of rigid strips 32. The forming strips 32 include a leading end 33 which is spaced lengthwise from the end of the horn 18. Sloping inwardly from the leading end 33 is a tapering surface 34 which merges with a fold edge 36. The inner or fold edges 36 are disposed diametrically inwardly a greater distant than the posts 32 supporting the cylindrical body C. The strips 32 in this manner serve to depress the container body C inwardly and about the posts 31 as shown in FIG. 7. The inwardly displacement of the can body relative to the posts 31 is sufficient to fold the material about the lines of engagement with the posts 31. Upon release of the forming strips 32 from engagement with the inner edge 33 the portions of the body spanning the posts 31 springs back so that a can body R of substantially rectangular cross-section as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 is formed.

In operation, the cylindrical can bodies C formed on the horn are continuously fed to the reforming station or apparatus 30 in end-to-end relationship so that the bodies are advanced on the posts 31 and beneath the reforming strips 32. As the reformed can bodies C advance beneath the reforming strips 32, the latter are operative to depress and reshape the cylindrical bodies C as described above. Upon leaving the reforming means 30, a conveyor 37 is operative to transfer the" rectangular cross-section container in a substantially vertical attitude to a transfer station 38.

Referring now to FIGS. 8 through 10, there is shown another embodiment of the invention for reforming a cylindrical can body C to a can body R of substantially rectangular cross-section. The apparatus 40 comprises a plurality of horizontally disposed posts 41 which may be fixed to the horn 18 at one end and arranged similarly to the posts 31 described in connection with the embodiment of FIGS. 5 to 7. Disposed between the posts 41 are a plurality of pairs of wheels 42-42 which are angularly displaced relative to the posts 41 so as to depress the cylindrical can body C as shown in particular in FIG. 9. The wheels 42 are each rotatably mounted on shafts 43 and serve not only to depress and reform the container body but also to assist in feeding the container bodies along the posts.

Disposed between each of the pair of wheels 42-42 may be a fixed folding blade 44. The folding blades 44 each include a lower edge 46 which lies along a tangent of the wheels'42-42 parallel to the posts 41. The blades 44 serve to maintain continuity between each of the pair of wheels 42 so as to depress the can body C along the length thereof.

As in the embodiment of FIGS. 1-7 the cylindrical can body C is transferred on to the supporting posts 41. The can bodies C are fed in end-to-end relationship and travel beneath the angularly spaced wheels 42--42. During this period the wheels 42-42 and the blades 44 are operative to bend the can body about the supports. However, the portions of the can body between the bend forming a corner return to a substantially planar condition so that a substantially rectangular can body R is formed as shown in FIG. 10.

What is claimed is:

1. A container body maker apparatus for reshaping a tubular container body of substantially circular crosssection into rectilinear cross-section comprising a reshaping means including a plurality of spaced supporting means for supporting said tubular container body along longitudinally extending and angularly spaced lines parallel to each other, and bending means disposed between adjacent ones of said supporting means and having surfaces disposed below said spaced lines for depressing the portions of the tubular body extending between adjacent ones of said parallel supporting means so that the tubular container body is permanently bent along said lines into substantially rectangular cross-section when said container is removed from said supporting means and said depressed portions spring outwardly into flat walls.

2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said bending means comprises angularly spaced blades arranged substantially radially relative to the tubular container body supported on said supporting means.

3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said blades are each fixed relative to each other.

4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said blades each include a tapering leading edge defining said depressing surfaces for gradually depressing said portions.

5. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said bending means comprises rollers disposed for rotation in aplane normal to the plane extending between said supporting means and having the respective peripheries extending below a plane containing said adjacent supporting means.

6. The method of forming a tubular can body comprising the steps of initially shaping a blank into a tubuthe supports.

7. The method as defined in claim 6 wherein the portions of the body spanning the adjacent ones of the supports depress the portions at a location between the supports.

8. The method as defined in claim 7 wherein the portions between the supports is depressed inwardly below the plane containing the adjacent ones of the supports. =1: 1! a: a: 

1. A container body maker apparatus for reshaping a tubular container body of substantially circular cross-section into rectilinear cross-section comprising a reshaping means including a plurality of spaced supporting means for supporting said tubular container body along longitudinally extending and angularly spaced lines parallel to each other, and bending means disposed between adjacent ones of said supporting means and having surfaces disposed below said spaced lines for depressing the portions of the tubular body extending between adjacent ones of said parallel supporting means so that the tubular container body is permanently bent along said lines into substantially rectangular cross-section when said container is removed from said supporting means and said depressed portions spring outwardly into flat walls.
 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said bending means comprises angularly spaced blades arranged substantially radially relative to the tubular container body supported on said supporting means.
 3. The invention as defined in claim 2 wherein said blades are each fixed relative to each other.
 4. The invention as defined in claim 3 wherein said blades each include a tapering leading edge defining said depressing surfaces for gradually depressing said portions.
 5. The invention as defined in claim 1 wherein said bending means comprises rollers disposed for rotation in a plane normal to the plane extending between said supporting means and having the respective peripheries extending below a plane containing said adjacent supporting means.
 6. The method of forming a tubular can body comprising the steps of initially shaping a blank into a tubular body of substantially cylindrical cross-section, supporting said cylindrical can body along longitudinally extending and angularly spaced supports and depressing inwardly the portions of the body spanning adjacent ones of supports so that the can body is bent about the supports, and allowing the depressed portions of the body to spring back into flat walls spanning the bends so that the circular cross section body is reshaped into a body of rectangular cross section when removed from the supports.
 7. The method as defined in claim 6 wherein the portions of the body spanning the adjacent ones of the supports depress the portions at a location between the supports.
 8. The method as defined in claim 7 wherein the portions between the supports is depressed inwardly below the plane containing the adjacent ones of the supports. 